Switch construction



Jan. 26, 1960 s. I. LINDELL 2,922,864

. SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet -l INVENIOR.

Jan. 26, 1960 s. 1. LINDELL I 2,922,364

SWITCH CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 31, 1957 INYENTOR.

United A States Patent swrrcn CONSTRUCTION sigma I. Lindell, Chicago, 111., assignor to s & 0 Electric Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1957, Serial No. 693,689

,3 scale, of the upper portion of the switch blade and a 18 Claims. (Cl. 200-162) This invention relates, generally, to disconnecting switches for electric distribution circuits and it has particular relation to such switches provided with a latch to hold the switch blade against opening movement, with a pull ring for moving the switch blade to the open position and with anchor means to be engaged by an auxiliary interrupter for opening the switch blade under load.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide a switch blade latch which cannot be activated by a force applied to the blade opening pull ring in order to prevent inadvertent opening of the switch blade while carrying current by means of an ordinary switch stick; to provide for unlatching the switch blade in response to the application of a force by one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter to the conducting anchor means which acts as an anchor during the opening movement of the amtiliary circuit interrupter; to provide a pull ring on the switch blade for receiving the other terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter; to space'the anchor means and pull ring on the switch relative to the spacingof the terminals of the auxiliary circuit interrupter so that theswitch blade is unlatched before operative engagement with the pull ring can be had; to provide a keeper on the switch blade and a cooperating latch hook pivoted on the line terminal carrying the switch contact member; to connect the anchor means to the latch hook for conjoint movement; and to provide the anchor means on opposite sides of the switch blade and integral with the latch hook.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and, in part, appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a disconnecting switch in which the present invention is embodied, the switch being mounted in a vertical position and being arranged for operation through the agency of an auxiliary circuit interrupter of the type illustrated in application Serial No. 569,909, filed March 6, 1956, now Patent No. 2,816,981, issued December 17, 1957, which is shown in the engaged position at the beginning of the switch opening operation with the latch released;

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing the switch in the partly open position with the auxiliary circuit interrupter extended to a position slightly in advance of the position in which the separable contacts therein are opened to interrupt thev shunt circuit bridging the disconnecting switch gap; 7 1

Figure 3 is a view, in side elevation, and at an enlarged portion of the cooperating upper terminal assembly with the switch blade in the closed and latched position;

Figure 4 is a view, in front elevation, of the portion of the switch construction shown in Figure 3 with the combination guide and anchor member and the latch hook integral therewith swung to the unlatched position to illustrate more clearly the construction;

Figure 5 is a view, in side elevation, of the construction and arrangement shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view, in front elevation, of the lower portion of the upper terminal assembly and latch, as shown in Figure 4, separate from the switch blade;

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the construction and arrangement shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 8--8 of Figure 6.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates wood supports or cross arms which are positioned one above the other. It will be understood that they can be positioned in the same horizontal plane. They are arranged for mounting a disconnecting switch assembly, shown generally at 11, which is of the general type illustrated in application Serial No. 638,742, filed February 7, 1957, now abandoned, modified to incorporate the features of this invention. The disconnecting switch assembly 11 can be positioned vertically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it can be mounted in an underhung position as disclosed in the application just referred to.

The disconnecting switch assembly 11 includes a channel base 12 of rolled steel section having a fiat side 13 which bears against the respective sides of the wood supports or cross arms 10. As pointed out in the application l-ast referred to, the reason for placing the flat side 13 in the position described is to provide a large area of contact between the channel base 12 and the wood supports or cross arms 10 in order to avoid cutting them as often is the case when the side flanges 14, rather than the flat side 13, are placed in engagement therewith and clamped thereto. The flat side 13 is clamped to the cross arms 10 by means of clamp bolts 15 and clamps 16 which are located on the opposite sides of the wood supports or cross arms 10, as illustrated.

Plates 17 are provided transversely of the side flanges 14 for supporting insulators 18 in spaced relation. The plates 17 can be secured by welding to the side flanges 14 and the insulators 18 can be secured to the plates 17 by bolts. At their outer ends the insulators 18 carry upper and lower terminal assemblies 19 and 20. The terminal assemblies 19 and 20 include terminal pads 21 and 22 that are arranged to be connected to line conductors.

The terminal pad 22 of the lower terminal assembly 20 includes an integrally formed outwardly extending hinge member 26 on which is pivoted at 27 a switch blade that is indicated, generally, at 28. At its upper end the switch blade 28 is arranged to engage a contact member 29 which extends outwardly from the terminal pad 21 of the upper terminal assembly 19. Other means can be used for mounting the switch blade 28 for movement toward and away from the contact 29.

It is desirable to provide for moving the switch blade 28 toward the open circuit position and out of contact engagement with the contact member 29 while current is flowing therethrough. For this purpose an auxiliary circuit interrupter of the separable contact type, shown generally at 32, is provided. Preferably the auxiliary circuit interrupter 32 is constructed as disclosed in application Serial No. 569,909, filed March 6, 1956, and re-t f er red to hereinbefore. It is arranged to be mounted on a live line insulating stick 33 "of" the'type' ordinarily found in a linemans truck land adapted to have various types ofglive line toolsclampedthereto. Atits upper.v endthelive.v line. stick 33? is provided with fafmetallic fittingi3i4for detachable connection to a metallicstrut 35-. Near itsupper eridthestrut. 35. is provided 'with a llaterallyextending prongSh which is arrangedflto engage aa-pullring or eye'member 37 that is secured to the swi-tchblade 28 near its. swingingend and at a, position remote from its hinge end provided by the pivot 27 Movable. with the strut 55 and prong 36 is an inner insulating sleeve. 38. The sleeve 38 moves "within an outer insulating sleeve 39 for the purpose of cocking a spring operating mechanismto effect the separation of the contact members in the auxiliary circuitinterrupter 32 in such manner. as to. interrupt the current flow therewithin. Near its upperend the outer insulating sleeve 39 I Referring now particularly to Figures 3 and 4 of the.

drawings, it-will be observed that the switchblade28'is made up ofa pair of elongated switch blade. members 44 andthat the pull ring or eye member 37, having an opena ing 3.7? for. receiving 1e prong 36,- is positioned therebetween. The pull ring 37 has an integral bosspor'tion 45 the thickness of which is the same as the spacing between the blade members 44. Rivets 46 extend through the. blade members 44 and the boss portion 451 to stationarily mount the pull ring or eye member 37 on the switch blade 28.

As shown more clearly in Figure 7 the combination guide. and anchor member 41 includes conducting anchor latch hook 53 automatically deflects the latter when the combined guide and anchor member 41 and the latch hook 53 integral therewith. The upward movement of the latch hook.53, when, the switch blade 28 is inthe open position, is limited by engagement with a lower. end 59 of a stop 6Qwhich depends fromthe contact member 29. Stops GI-exterid outwardly from each side of the upper terminal pad 21, Figures 3. and 4, and cooperate with stop shoulders 62 on the hubs 51 of the combination guide and anchor member 41 to limit its rocking movement in a counterclockwisedirection beyond the position shown. in Figures 5 and 8.

,Partic lar attentionisdnected to the arrangement of thecombination guide and anchor member 41 with the integral. latch hook 53.. The conducting anchor mem-.. bers 47 of the member 41: are so spaced from the pivot axis of the hinge pin 49 as to permit operation by appli: cation of the live line stick 33 from various angles. and to. insure that. there is a sufiicient moment about such axis tomove the latch hook 53 to unlatched position and permitsubsequent opening of the switch blade 28; It will be noted that the anchor members'47 are offset from the pivot axis of the hinge pin 49 in the direction of the longitudinal axis'of the switch blade28 to provide. the proper leverage or. movement about this pivot axis even when'the live line stick extends at right angles to the.

. switch blade 28. 1 WhileQthearrangement is such that the members or horns 47 which are located on opposite sides er: the switch blade 28 and have curved under surfaces 48 for receiving the bow contact member 40..and providing an anchor therefor. against which the lineman can exert a pull endwise on the live line stick 33..

p In accordance with this invention, provision is made for rockably mounting the combination guide and anchor member 41 which is made up of the conducting anchor members 47. For this purpose a hinge pin 49 is provided, on the terminal pad 21 which'forms a part of the upper terminal assembly 19. As shown in Figure 6, spaced ears 50 are formed integrally with the terminal pad 21 at its lower end for receiving the hinge pin 49 the ends of which extend into hubs 51 that are integral with the member 41. A torsion spring 52 surrounds the hinge pin 49 and acts to bias the combination guide and anchor member 41 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5.

Also, formed integrally with the conducting anchor members or horns 4'7 and centrally thereof is a latch hook 53. As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the latch hook 53 extends forwardly of the terminal pad 21 and is disposed between the switch blade members 44. The latch hook 53 has a shoulder 54 for engaging a'detent in the form of a roller 55 which is mounted on a shaft 56 that extends between the blade members 44. When the latch hook 53 occupies the position shown in Figure. 3 of the drawings, the shoulder 54 is located in front of the roller 55. Here the shoulder 54 is positioned generally normal to a plane, indicated by a broken line 57 through the axis of the hinge pin 49 and the, axis of the shaft. 56. onwhich. the roller 55 is mounted and thus opening movement of the switch blade 28 is prevented. An. inclinedstriker surface 58 on the nose portion otthe latch hook-53 rocks toward the vpullring 37,fthe-v former can be modified to rock in the opposite direction to unlatch. a

. There is a preferred relation between the distance "63, Figure 1,v between the bow contact member 40 and the prong 36 Withrespect to the distance 64, Figure 3; between the anchor members or horns 47 and the, pull ring or eye member 37. This relationship is such that the bow contact member. 40 must engage one or the other ofthe conducting anchor members or horns 47 and swing the combination guide and'anchor member 41 to the position shown in Figures 5 and 8, where the latch hook 5.3

is in the unlatched position, before the prong 36 can be inserted into the opening 37 of the pull ring or eye member 37 This insures that the switch blade 28 is 1111-. latched to. permitopening movement thereof when'the auxiliary circuit interrupter 32 has been engaged and further pull is exerted to separate the interrupter contacts to interrupt the circuit'after. the switch blade 28 has been moved away from the. upper terminal assembly 19 to. a distance such that there is no likelihoodof rcstriking of the arc externally of the auxiliary circuit interrupter 32once it hasopened the circuit.

The'tension exerted. by the torsion spring '52 is so re: lated to the initial tension of the spring in the auxiliary circuit interrupter 32 and. toithe increased tension of this spring when it is stressed by movement of the inner insulating sleeve 38 outof the outer insulating sleeve 39, that no relative movement, or only a very limitedfrelative. movement of the former with respect to the; latter, takes place untiLafter the latch hook 53 has been swung to the unlatched position, shown in Figures 5 and 8, where the combination guide and anchor member 41 is prevented from furtherrotary'movement by the stops 61 when they are engaged by the stop shoulders 62. The relation of the, spring tensions also is suchthat no or only limited relative movement of the sleeves 38 and 39 takes place until after the prong 36 has. engaged the'pull ring 37 and further pull is exerted. to swing theswitch'blade28 Since certain further changes can be'made in the fore going construction and different embodiments of the in vention can be made without departing from the spirit a and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. a

7 What is claimed as new is:

t 1. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation having a hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a Switchblade pivoted to said hinge member for movement intofand out of engagement with said contact member, a pull ring carried by said switch blade for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, latch means on said switch blade and on the other line terminal preventing disengagement of said switch blade from said contact member, conducting anchor means connected to said latch means for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mountingsaid conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in response to movement of said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the same general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied bysaid other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interriupter unlatches said latch means and permits force applied to said pull ring by the one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage said switch blade from said contact member.

2 A disconnecting switch comprising,rin combination,

a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation hav-' inga hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a switch blade pivoted to said hinge member for movement into and out of engagement with said contact member, a pull ring stationarily mounted on said switch blade near its swinging end for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, latch means on said switch blade and on the other line terminal preventing disengagement of said switch blade from saidcontactmember, conducting anchor means connected to said latch means for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in response to movement of said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the same general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter unlatches said latch means and permits force applied to said pull ring by the one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage said switch blade from said contact member.

' 3- A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation having a hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a

switch blade pivoted to said hinge member for movement into and out of engagement with said contact member, a-pull ring stationarily mounted on said switch blade near its swinging end for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, latch means on said switch blade nearer its swinging end than said pull ring and on the other line terminal preventing disengagement of said switch blade from said contact member, conducting anchor means connected to said latch means for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in response to movement of said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the same general direction that said switch bladeis moved out of engagement with said contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter unlatches said latch means and permits force applied to said pull ring by the one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage said switch blade from said contact member.

4. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation having a hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a switch blade pivoted to said hinge member for movement into and out of engagement with said contact member, a pull ring carried by said switch blade for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, latch meanson said switch blade and on the other line terminal normally biased away from the pivot axis of said switch blade to latched position and preventing disengagement of said switch blade from said contact member, conducting anchor means connected to said latch means for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in response to movement of said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the same general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member 'to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter overcomes the biasing action applied to said latch means and unlatches said latch means and permits force applied to said pull ring by the one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage said switch blade fromsaid contact member.

5. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation having a hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a switch blade pivoted to said hinge member for movement into and out of engagement with said contact member, a pull ring carried by said switch blade for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, a keeper carried by said switch blade, a latch movably mounted on said other line terminal and biased away from the pivot axis of said switch blade into engagement with said keeper and preventing disengagement of said switch blade from said contact member, conducting anchor means connected to said latch for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in the same general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member moves said latch out of engagement with said keeper and permits force applied to said pull ring by the one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage said switch blade from said contact member.

6. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, a pair of line terminals in insulated spaced relation having a hinge member carried by one line terminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a switch blade pivoted to said hinge member for movement into and out of engagement with said contact member, a pull ring stationarily mounted on said switch blade remote latch for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary cireuit interrupter, and; means mounting saidconducting. anchor means on said contact memberfor movementin the same general direction that said, switch blade is moved out'of engagement with said. contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position Wherebyforce applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the general direction that said switch bladeiis moved out of engagement with said contact member moves said latch out of engagement with said keeper and permits force applied to said pull ring by the. one terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter to1di'sengage..-said switch blade from said contact member.

7. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination; a pair. of line terminals in insulated spaced. relation having a hinge member. carried by'one lineterminal and a contact member carried by the other line terminal, a switch blade comprising a pair of elongatedblade members pivoted to said hinge member for movement:into and out of .engagementwith said Contact member,"ar pull ring between said blade members and secured'thereto remote from the hinge end thereof for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuit interrupter, a1. keeper between said blade members andnearer the swinging end thereof thansaid pull ring, a latch hook pivotedon said other line'terminal'andextending-theree from between said blade members and betweenv said. keeper and said pull ring, spring means biasing said latch hook into engagement with said keeper'to prevent disengagement of said. switch blade from saidr-ccinta'ct member, conducting anchor means connected to said latch hook at one side of said switch blade for receiving another terminal of: said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and

means mounting said conducting anchor means on said contact member for movement in the same general'direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member. to move said latch means to unlatched position wherebyfor'ce applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the general direction that said switch blade is moved out of engagement with said contact member moves said latch hook. out of engagement with said keeper and permits forceapplied to said pull ring by the. one terminal of 'the auxiliary circuit interrupter to disengage. s'aid switchibladev from said contact member.

8. The invention, as set forth inclaim' 7, whereinthe keeper is a roller journaled between the blade members and the latch hookhas an inclined striker surface engageable by said roller as said blade members are 'swungto switch closed position to move said latch hook out of the path of said roller. 9. The invention, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the latch hook and conducting anchor means are of one piece construction.

10. The invention, as set forth in claim 9, wherein .the' conducting anchor means comprise a pair of anchors disposed on opposite sides of the switch blade'with the latch hook being located centrally thereof.

11. The invention, as set forthin claim 10, wherein the latch hook is disposed between the anchors and the pull ring when the switch blade is closed.

12. The invention, as set forth in claim 7, wherein stop means on the other line terminal cooperate withlatch hook and conducting anchor means to limit the movement thereof.

13. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the anchor means is spaced from its pivot axis to permit application of the other terminal of the auxiliary circuit interrupter from a relatively wide range of positions in any of which a pull exerted on said anchor means is-effective to move the latch hook to unlatched position.

' 14. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the latch hook is rocked toward the pull ring to unlatched position. 7

15. A disconnecting switch comprising,- incombination,

first and second separable switch contactmembers, a poll ring-carried by said first switch contact member for detachablyireceiving one terminal et an auxiliary 'circuit' in terrupter, latch means on saidswitch contactmemb'ers" preventing separation thereof, conducting-anchor means connected tosaid latch meansfor receiving another-.terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means 'mounting said conducting anchor means on said second switch contact member for movement inthe same general "directionthat saidfirst 'switch contact member is moved out-of engagement with said second contact-member to move said latch means to unlatched position-whereby forceapplied bysaidother terminal of'said auxiliary circuit interrupter in the general direction that said firstcorita'ct' member is moved out of'engagement with said second contact 7 member unl'atches said I latch means and permits force applied to said pullring by the one terminal of 'the auxiliary circuit 1 interrupter to separate said switch contact members. p V

16; A disconnecting switch comprising; in combination, first and second separable switchcontact members, a pull' ring carried by saidfirst switch contact member for detachably receiving one terminal of'an auxiliary circuit interrupter, akeepercarried by saidfirst switch contact member, a latch movably mounted on said second switch contact member and biased into engagement with said keeper and preventing disengagement of said switch contact members, conducting anchor meansconnected to'said latch for receivinganother terminal of said auxiliary circuitv interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor. means on .said. second switch contact member for movement in the same general direction that said first switch contact member is moved out'ofcngagcment with said second contact member tomove-said latch means to unlatched positionlwhereby force applied by said, other. terminal of said auxiliarycircuitinterrupter in the general direction that said first contact memberis moved-out of engagement with said second contact member moves said latch out of engagement with said keeper and permits force applied to said pull ring by the. one terminal ofthe auxiliary circuit interrupter to separate said'switch contact members. 17. A disconnecting switch comprising, in combination, first'and second separableswitch contact members, a pull ring secured to said first, switch contact member for detachably receiving one terminal of an auxiliary circuitinterrupter, a keeperv carried by said first switch contact member, a latch hook pivoted on said second'switch con tact member, spring means biasing said latch hook into engagementwith said keeper to prevent disengagement of said switch contactmembers, conducting anchor means connected to said latch hook for receiving another terminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter, and means mounting said conducting anchor means on, said second swltch contact member for movementin thesame generaldi'rection that said first switch contact member is, moved, out; of engagement with said'second contact member tomovej said latch means to unlatched position wherebyzforce applied by said other terminal ofsaid auxiliary circuit interrupter in the general directionthat said first contact member is moved out, of engagement with said second. contact member moves said latch hook out of engagement,

with'said, keeper and permits force applied to said pull ring;

9 tion that said first switch contact member is moved out of engagement with said second contact member to move said latch means to unlatched position whereby force applied by said other terminal of said auxiliary circuit interterminal of said auxiliary circuit interrupter to said conducting anchor means being spaced from the pivot axis thereof to permit application of said other terminal from a relatively wide range of positions in any of which a pull exerted on said anchor means is effective to unlatch said latch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,118 Crabbs Oct. 31, 1950 

